“A life is not important except in the impact it makes in other lives.”, this quote from Jackie Robinson helps introduce my topic because he had a role in breaking the color barrier and also keeping that barrier broken. The integration of Major League Baseball was the start of a cultural shift in professional sports to where African American’s began to gain more prevalence in the world of sports. In the MLB it was looked down upon for African American’s to be allowed in professional baseball. With I myself being an avid fan of the game I decided to take the liberty to make sure that I could highlight the men who helped revolutionize not just the game of baseball but who helped create a massive cultural shift in America.
African Americans in …show more content…
Rickey was a man who was very pro change. He is not only just credited for helping break the color barrier in baseball, but he also was a major part in helping form the modern-day form of the Minor League (Farm) system for baseball, and also while GM for the Pittsburg Pirates drafted the first Latino player ever with that man being Roberto Clemente in 1954. Needless to say, Rickey could spot talent, but he also was a man who was ahead of the times. With him being so progressive it only makes sense that he had a giant hand in signing Jackie Robinson to the Dodgers. "Baseball people, and that includes myself, are slow to change and accept new ideas. I remember that it took years to persuade them to put numbers on uniforms." This quote is just another good example to show that he knew what he was about to do with signing Robinson might take some time, but he knew what he was doing would be absolutely worth it, and boy was he right. Rickey wanted to make sure that everyone knew he signed Robinson because of how talented he was and not on the fact that he was black, while he knew the color barrier needed to be broken he knew that an average player wouldn’t be the on to successfully do it. If he really wanted to tear down the barrier he needed a star and in Robinson he found his …show more content…
Robinson was a mega athlete and was extremely successful in almost any and every sport he played in. While at UCLA he was a 4 year starter on the baseball, football, and track team. As simple as these feats sound you must also note that this was during prime segregation in the United States and even to this day many athletes specialize in one sport instead of taking the route Robinson did and doing 3 of the major sports. After his 4 years at UCLA Robinson fought for the United States in the Army. He was drafted in 1942 during World War 2 and did an upstanding job as a soldier, by receiving several awards for his duty and service. After the war Robinson was put into the Negro Leagues. While in the NL Robinson had a very short career for the Kansas City Monarchs only playing one season. After that one season he was assigned to the Dodgers AAA team (highest minor league affiliate) and while there he had a great season leading the team in batting average and in hits. Like his career in the Negro League he only lasted a year in AAA before being called up to the Dodgers. Robinson was signed to the Dodgers 6 days before the 1947 season. By doing this Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to sign a contract with a MLB team and make their roster. Robinson played his first game on April 15th, 1947, making him the first African-American to play in a Major League Baseball
African Americans in …show more content…
Rickey was a man who was very pro change. He is not only just credited for helping break the color barrier in baseball, but he also was a major part in helping form the modern-day form of the Minor League (Farm) system for baseball, and also while GM for the Pittsburg Pirates drafted the first Latino player ever with that man being Roberto Clemente in 1954. Needless to say, Rickey could spot talent, but he also was a man who was ahead of the times. With him being so progressive it only makes sense that he had a giant hand in signing Jackie Robinson to the Dodgers. "Baseball people, and that includes myself, are slow to change and accept new ideas. I remember that it took years to persuade them to put numbers on uniforms." This quote is just another good example to show that he knew what he was about to do with signing Robinson might take some time, but he knew what he was doing would be absolutely worth it, and boy was he right. Rickey wanted to make sure that everyone knew he signed Robinson because of how talented he was and not on the fact that he was black, while he knew the color barrier needed to be broken he knew that an average player wouldn’t be the on to successfully do it. If he really wanted to tear down the barrier he needed a star and in Robinson he found his …show more content…
Robinson was a mega athlete and was extremely successful in almost any and every sport he played in. While at UCLA he was a 4 year starter on the baseball, football, and track team. As simple as these feats sound you must also note that this was during prime segregation in the United States and even to this day many athletes specialize in one sport instead of taking the route Robinson did and doing 3 of the major sports. After his 4 years at UCLA Robinson fought for the United States in the Army. He was drafted in 1942 during World War 2 and did an upstanding job as a soldier, by receiving several awards for his duty and service. After the war Robinson was put into the Negro Leagues. While in the NL Robinson had a very short career for the Kansas City Monarchs only playing one season. After that one season he was assigned to the Dodgers AAA team (highest minor league affiliate) and while there he had a great season leading the team in batting average and in hits. Like his career in the Negro League he only lasted a year in AAA before being called up to the Dodgers. Robinson was signed to the Dodgers 6 days before the 1947 season. By doing this Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to sign a contract with a MLB team and make their roster. Robinson played his first game on April 15th, 1947, making him the first African-American to play in a Major League Baseball